Beach raking is a common maintenance duty. Beach raking devices exist which utilize tines or brushes to dig small furrows into the sand surface as they are dragged across a beach, leaving a freshly combed appearance. This type of raking is sufficient for most locales, however the nature of such a cleaning process is problematic in the presence of nesting sea turtles.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) regulates mechanized beach cleaning under the Florida Beach & Shore Preservation Act, Florida Statute 161. In order for beach cleaning to occur during nesting season, FDEP have developed special conditions to protect marine turtles, their nests and hatchlings
Because of the high density of turtle nests in Brevard through Broward Counties, special protection measures are required during the sea turtle nesting season (March 1 through October 31).
In accordance with Florida Statute 161m it is required that:
Cleaning equipment must not penetrate more than two inches into the beach surface;
All material collected must be removed from the beach;
In order to avoid adverse impacts in the event that cleaning accidentally occurs over a nest, mechanical beach cleaning equipment shall not penetrate more than two inches into the surface of the beach;
Mechanized beach cleaning shall be accomplished so that no ruts are formed on the beach; and
Burial or storage of any debris (biotic or abiotic) collected is prohibited seaward of the 50 foot setback. Removal of accumulated debris from the beach must occur immediately after cleaning has been performed.
The present inventors have developed a turtle friendly beach raking apparatus which addresses a long felt need for a beach raking device that solves the problem of maintaining clean and pristine beaches while simultaneously preserving and protecting sea turtle nests and the hatchlings which emanate therefrom.